Sprayer



F. ZIHERL June 19, 1951 SPRAYER Filed March 11, 1948 II In I 1 'IIIIIIII/III/IIIIIIII x INVENTOR FRANK ZIHERL.

BY ja/Lw ATTORNEY Patented June 19, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SPRAYER Frank Ziherl, Euclid, Ohio Application March 11, 1948, Serial No. 14,335

I 1 Claim. 1

This. invention relates, as indicated, to sprayers, but has reference more particularly to a sprayer having general utility or application.

A primary object of the invention is to provide a sprayer of the character described, by means of which a novel form or type of spraying action is obtained.

Another object of the invention is to provide a sprayer of the character described, which can be handled very easily, and is readily adaptable for attachment to fluid containers of conventional forms.

A further object of the invention is to provide a sprayer of the character described, which consists of a minimum number of parts which can be readily assembled and replaced, if necessary, and can be easily disassembled for cleaning purposes.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a sprayer, most of the parts of which are so designed as to permit of manufacture in commercially desirable quantities on standard screw machines, and at fairly low cost.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a sprayer embodying the invention, with portions broken away to more clearly show certain details of construction;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary cross-sectional View, on an enlarged scale, taken on the line 2-2 of Fig 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view, on an enlarged scale, taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view, on an enlarged scale, taken on the line 4='. of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a transverse cross-sectional view, taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view, on an enlarged scale, taken on the line 66 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 7 is a transverse cross-sectional view, taken on the line l! of Fig. 6, and

Fig. 8 is an enlarged detail view of the nozzle insert, shown in Fig. 2.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the sprayer will be seen to comprise an aluminum tube l having a rebent portion 2 extending at 2 hand grip for holding the sprayer during the spraying operation.

Disposed within the tube I for reciprocating movement in the latter is a second aluminum tube 3, of smaller diameter than the tube l, the tube 3 being concentric with the tube I. The tube 3 is maintained in fluid-tight relationship with the forward end of the tube l by means of a packing sleeve l of a soft material, such, for example, as Garlock 166, which is interposed and fills the space between the tube I and tube 3. The sleeve 4 is maintained against axial movement relatively to the tube l by means of a brass washer 5 and a packing nut 6. The washer 5 abuts the rear end of the sleeve 4 and bears against a shoulder 1 formed by counterboring the forward end of the uube l. The packing nut 6 is threadedly secured to the tube l and is provided with a knurled head 8.

Secured in threaded engagement with the rear end of the tube 3 is a hollow valve or check body 9, preferably formed of brass, and having a fluid passageway I!) which is normally closed by means of a ball H. The body 9 is provided with a conical ball seat l2, and the ball I l is normally urged against this seat by a compression coil spring 53, which is disposed within the valve body and is permanently secured in position by means of retaining ears or lugs M, formed by slitting the forward end of the check body at circumferentiallyspaced points and bending inwardly the portions of the check body formed by such slitting. The external diameter of the rear portion ta oi the valve body 9 is slightly less than the internal diameter of the tube i, so that the valve body 9 is freely slidable within the tube l as the tube 3 is reciprocated.

The tube 3 is provided at its forward end with an extension l5 of slightly reduced diameter, to which a tube l6 of approximately the same diameter as the tube 3 is threadedly secured. The forward end of the tube [6 is threaded as at H for the attachment thereto of a brass nozzle 53 having a small spray opening [9 at its forward end. Secured within the forward end of the tube i6 is a brass bushing 29 having a fluid passageway 2l which is normally closed by means of a ball 22. The bushing 2!] is provided with a conical ball seat 23, and the ball 22 is normally urged against this seat by a compression coil spring 24, which is disposed within the nozzle I8. One end of this spring bears against the ball 22, while the other end thereof. bears against a brass nozzle insert 25, being disposed within a recess 25a in one end of this insert.

The insert 25 has a double thread in its outer surface, one thread commencing at a point on the end of the insert which is spaced circumferentially 180 degrees from the point at which the other thread commences. Such threads provide spiral grooves 21 and 21a in the outer surface of the insert, which grooves have outlets at the forward end of the insert, spaced diametrically opposite each other. The insert 25 has a conical end wall 2%, which is disposed at an engle of about degrees to a diametral plane AA. This end wall b bears against the conical surface Illa of the nozzle 18, which is at an angle of about degrees to the aforesaid diametral plane.

A fluid impinging on the nozzle insert 25 passes through these spiral grooves and through the opening it, the passage through the grooves imparting to the fluid a twisting or whirling action which causes it to emerge from the opening IS in the form of a conical spray, covering a relatively large area,

Secured to the outer surface of the forward portion of the tube 3 is a handle 28, which is in the form of a length of rubber tubing which is adhesively or otherwise secured to the tube 3, so as to be axially immovable with respect to the tube 3.

The lower end of the grip portion 2 of the tube has threadedly secured thereto an aluminum valve or check body 2?! having an externally knurled flange 3B which bears against the lower end of the tubular portion 2, the body 28 having a fluid passageway 3i therethrough, which is normally closed by means of a ball 32. The valve body 29 has a conical seat 33, and the ball 32 normally rests on this seat, due to gravity or its own weight. The ball 32 is adapted to be lifted from its seat during use of the sprayer, but is prevented from leaving the valve body by means of retaining ears or lugs 3 formed by slitting the upper end of the body 29 at circumferentially-spaced points and bending inwardly the portions of the valve body formed by such slitting.

The valve body 29 is provided with threads 35 for the reception of an aluminum nut 35, which serves for the attachment to the valve body of a jar or bottle cap 3? of conventional form, the cap being clamped between the nut 36 and the lower surface of the flange 38 of the valve body. As shown, cadmium-plated steel washers 33 and as may be interposed between the cap and nut and between the cap and flange.

The valve body 29 is provided with an extension at of reduced diameter, provided With annular corrugations ll for the attachment thereto of a rubber tube 42, preferably made of neoprene, this tube being adapted to extend to the bottom of the jar or bottle 63 to which the cap 3'! is attached, and which contains the fluid which is to be sprayed.

In using the sprayer, the operator will grasp the grip handle 2 with one hand in approximately the manner in which a pistol is gripped, and will grasp the handle 28 with the other hand, and will reciprocate the tube 3 by means of the handle 28, thereby producing a spray from the nozzle is. The spraying action is accomplished in the following manner:

As the tube 3 is moved to the right, as viewed in Fig. 1, a suction is created in the tube l behind the ball ll, causing the ball 32 to be lifted from its seat, permitting a small quantity of the fluid in the container to be drawn up into this space or portion of the tube. During this movement,

4 the balls H and 22 remain seated, due to the spring pressure thereon. The tube 3 is then moved to the left or to its original position, as shown in Fig. l, causing the valve body 9 to exert pressure on the fluid behind the valve body, thereby causing the ball 32 to be reseated, and the balls H and 22 to be unseated, against the pressure of the springs l3 and 24 respectively. At the same time, the fluid in said space is forced through the valve bodies 9 and bushing 20, and through the spiral grooves 2'4 and 27a in the insert 25 and nozzle opening l9.

Due to the eflect of the spiral grooves, the stream of fluid is broken up in a desired manner and is directed in a spray of conical form toward the object or place to be sprayed.

The forward stroke of the tube 3 then causes the balls l! and 22 to be seated and the ball 32 to be unseated, thereby introducing a fresh supply of fluid from the container d3 into the tube 5. The fluid is thus ejected from the nozzle !3 only upon the return stroke of the tube 3, but by reciprocating the tube 3, an intermittent but fairly rapid spraying action may be obtained.

The length of the spray or stream can be accurately controlled by the intensity of the spraying action, by varying the depth of the spiral grooves 2? and Zia in the insert 25, and by varying the size of the opening at in the nozzle Hi.

The packing sleeve 6 not only acts as a seal or gasket to prevent fluid from passing out of the joint between tubes l and 3, but also produces a desired wipingor cleansing action on the tube 3.

As indicated, most of the metallic parts of the sprayer are made of a corrosion-resistant metal, such as brass or aluminum.

The sprayer, as thus described, is of general utility, being adapted for numerous household uses, as well as outdoor uses. It consists of a minimum number of parts which can be readily assembled and replaced, if necessary, and can easily be disassembled for cleaning purposes. Each part is so designed as to permit of manufacture in commercially desirable quantities on standard screw machines, and at fairly low cost. Moreover, the sprayer is adapted for attachment to jars, bottles or other containers of conventional form.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention, herewith shown and described, is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to, without departing from the spirit of my invention, or the scope of the subjoined claim.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

In a sprayer of the character described, a tubular member having a straight portion and a rebent portion formed integrally with the straight portion and extending at an acute angle to the latter, said rebent portion constituting a hand grip for holding the sprayer during the spraying operation, asecond tubular member telescopically movable in the straight portion of said first tubular member and projecting from the latter, normally closed valve means at the lower end of said hand grip portion of said first tubular member, normally closed valve means at the inner end of said second tubular member, said first-named valve means adapted to be opened upon movement of the second tubular member away from said first tubular member, and said second-named valve means adapted to be opened upon movement of the second tubular member towards said first tubular member, said second tubular member being provided with a tubular hand grip for reciprocating the same, and said valve means at the lower end of said hand grip portion of said first tubular member including a valve body having a flange and a threaded outer surface below said flange, a nut secured to said threads, and washers interposed between said flange and nut, and adapted to clamp therebetween a bottle or a jar cap.

FRANK ZIHERL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Soeldner Oct. 19, 1909 Number Number Number 

